Critics question placement of fire pit smoke sensors

May 19, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Sensors designed for monitoring particle emissions from the wood-burning beach fire pits were placed in the parking lot of Huntington Beach's AES power plant, sparking concerns over the accuracy of the AQMDs preliminary assessment on the air quality impacts of fire pits. Photo courtesy of Chris Epting

Sensors designed for monitoring particle emissions from the wood-burning beach fire pits were placed in the parking lot of Huntington Beach's AES power plant, sparking concerns over the accuracy of the AQMDs preliminary assessment on the air quality impacts of fire pits. Photo courtesy of Chris Epting

A preliminary study by the South Coast Air Quality Management District reported that smoke from wood-burning fire pits could lead to health problems for nearby residents, but some are questioning the science – and intent – behind the study.

The particle sensors that measured pollutants were placed near Huntington Beach's AES power plant, and in busy beach parking lots filled with idling cars that might skew air quality numbers, critics said.

After hearing of the location of the Huntington Beach monitoring station, fire pit proponent Assemblyman Allan Mansoor, R-Costa Mesa, questioned the accuracy of the findings.

"Do they believe that's a reasonable location for a fair reading?" Mansoor wrote in an email to the Register. "Seems more like a convenient location to achieve a pre-conceived/desired result."

The testing began in March, spurred by disagreements among city officials in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach on the benefits and adverse affects of fire pits for visitors and residents. Huntington Beach's 200 fire rings, Newport Beach's 60 pits near Balboa Pier and Corona del Mar State Beach, and Los Angeles County's 60 fire pits at Dockweiler State Beach were targeted for the testing.

According to the test, the levels of particulate matter detected in the air near both Huntington Beach and Newport Beach fire pits could be high enough to lead to adverse health effects for beachfront homeowners and those regularly exercising along the beach, said Sam Atwood, spokesman for AQMD.

"This is some hard data for the governing board to be able to use when having public hearings and making policy decisions on whether to create restrictions on wood burning in these fire pits," Atwood said.

When questioned on the placement, Atwood said the smoke stacks at the power plant were high enough that particulate matter created by the plant would be blown farther inland than what the meter could read. And as far as car emissions affecting particulate levels, Atwood said it would take a heavy-duty diesel truck to skew the measurements.

Still, Mansoor said his office would be requesting AQMD's methodology for the study, including the exact location of each monitoring device used.

"These findings are highly subjective, and are being paraded as evidence for banning a time-honored tradition. What's next? Campfires? Barbecues?" Mansoor said.

In Orange County, testing included two types of smoke monitoring. First; mobile sensors were strapped into cars and driven around the vicinity of fire pit locations to get general readings on the amount of smoke particles in the air, and find out what effect the wind has on smoke patterns.

The second test included three stationary monitors at Huntington Beach's AES power plant, near the entrance gate at the Balboa Pier parking lot and on the roof of the snack shack at Corona del Mar State Beach. These sensors looked at air quality levels from a set location over a continuous period of time.

The results showed fine particulate pollution concentrations at beach parking lots were as much as 10 times higher than normal levels, and up to three times higher at nearby residential areas.

The report convinced Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry that fire pit health impacts are real, but Huntington Beach Mayor Connie Boardman remained skeptical, according to a May 16 report in the Register

After reviewing the AQMD's presentation, Boardman questioned the placement of sensors along Pacific Coast Highway, where car emissions and fine dust particles could skew numbers.

"Their equipment can't differentiate between fine dust particles, smoke and car emissions," Boardman said. "We've got 40,000 cars a day on PCH, and that traffic is a large contributor of particulate matter."

Boardman also questioned the intent of the study in the first place, as the fire pit issue was not on AQMD's list of priorities until public health impact concerns were raised by Newport Beach residents and city officials.

"The AQMD regional board members made it very apparent at their April meeting that the goal was to ban fire pits, and then they sent staff out to do studies," Boardman said. "That's completely backwards. You don't come to a conclusion, and then go find data to support it."

Atwood noted that fire pits weren't on the top of the AQMD's list of pollution issues, referring to the agency's regional scope covering major portions of four counties.

"We're pretty busy looking at the hundreds of tons of pollution created from goods movement, but in order to reach clean air, we have to look at every source," Atwood said.

The three stationary sensors are expected to remain in place through the busy summer season to continue monitoring particulate levels when fire pits are at their highest use.

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